Crossing Barriers
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day one hundred and eighty-eight: Quinn is suprised at Sectionals by an unexpected visitor: her mother.


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a second cycle, and then a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eigth cycle. Which MEANS **cycle 9** is here, which MEANS... GLEE IS BACK!! YAY!_

* * *

**"Crossing Barriers"  
Quinn & Mrs Fabray  
Companion to "Family, Friends, Flowers"**

They had both been quietly longing for one another, all day. Quinn wished her mother could be there to see her, with Glee Club. They'd been to her cheer competitions, of course, but they had never seen her on stage, singing, dancing… She wanted her, wanted both of them to be there, with her, to be there to congratulate her at the end, like the other parents… But they wouldn't be. She'd screwed it all up.

But Judy Fabray was there, sitting in that audience, watching her daughter perform. She'd told Russell she was going to visit her sister. Russell had never liked Trudy, so he didn't question it. She didn't want to lie, but she couldn't take it… She wanted to see her baby girl. She had walked into that auditorium, discreet. No one knew she was going, and maybe it would stay that way. She wouldn't even let Quinn know she was there. It might have seemed cruel to some, but it was far from. She didn't know how to approach her, or rather… She didn't know how to walk away from her.

That night, when the truth she'd been fearing for weeks had finally come, she'd just… She'd sat there, she'd let Russell's word stand and watched her daughter leave. Russell had walked away, but she couldn't move, not until he made her do it. All she'd had to go on since then had been a visit from Carole Hudson.

It was like everyone else knew what she was supposed to do except her. She heard the words, but she couldn't listen to them.

That day, she'd watched her daughter, her angel, up on that stage and looking… free. She had changed since she'd last seen her, and not just physically. There was this look about her, the kind a mother could see, a change… In the end, what Russell had done had almost helped her, in ways she did not experience, standing by his side. She wished she could tell herself that it was enough, that she should just let her be and leave it at that, but she knew that wasn't true. Still the problem remained: How to take that first step?

And then she'd felt someone sit next to her. It was Al, one of Rachel Berry's fathers. Her old friend had spotted her in the crowd, and had come to speak with her. He'd made his point for her going and speaking with Quinn. She'd told him all her fears, and he had more or less equated them to the simple and achievable need to go see her daughter. The thoughts had all boiled over in her mind, and then… McKinley won, her club won. It was stronger than her; she applauded, just like the others did. She could see her daughter on stage, so happy… Judy wanted one thing and one thing alone right then: She wanted to share in that joy with her.

Not long after, she was outside the auditorium, waiting, searching… The kids had started to come out, back in their own clothes. She saw a blonde… No, it was Brittany, going to hug her grandfather. Judy sighed and turned…

There she was, with Finn and his mother. Her breath caught a bit. She hadn't realized from her costume just how much she'd grown… It wasn't a new inch around her waist, it was a belly now… Her baby girl's baby girl, right there. Was she, were they both okay? One way to find out…

Her feet hurried and stalled all at once, but eventually she was nearing. Quinn was facing the Hudsons, couldn't see her, but they did. They looked sufficiently surprised as they indicated for her to turn. When she did, it was like everything stopped.

Quinn couldn't believe it, her dream, her beautiful hopeless dream had come true… Her mother was there. It didn't take long for the tears to start, for both of them, and when they did, it almost broke the shock.

"Mom…" Quinn breathed out, almost in relief. A moment later, Judy had gathered her in her arms, tight yet careful as she could feel the belly pressing against her. Holding her now, it was hard to imagine she could ever have hesitated. As they pulled back, Judy held on to her daughter's face, looking at her… Oh she'd missed seeing her…

"I saw your show," she spoke, nodding to her, smiling. Quinn smiled back. "You were all really good," she went on, then, whispering, "You were the best one." Quinn let out a small laugh. She'd missed her mother's 'acts of confidence.'

"I can't believe you came…"

"I almost didn't, but I… I decided some things are more important than others… and this was much, much more important…" Quinn hugged her again, got hugged back.

"I missed you…" she cried, the tension of the last few days leaving her temporarily, for the sake of this moment.

"I've missed you too, missed…" she pulled back to look at her, "… a lot." She looked back at her. "Are you okay?" Quinn nodded.

"Yeah, I'm good," she promised.

"A-and the… How is she?" she nodded down. Quinn followed the motion of the head. She didn't know how she knew it was a girl, but she had an idea… Mrs. Hudson had been so good, looking out for her… She knew she'd find out the truth before long.

"She's good too," she assured her.

"You've changed, you know? But deep down… you're still my little bee," she smiled, looking into her tearful eyes. Quinn beamed at the sound of the nickname.

"What happens now though? Dad doesn't know you're here, does he?" Judy looked down for a moment. "He thinks you're at Aunt Trudy's, right?" She nodded in admittance. Quinn nodded as well, thinking. "Still can't go home, can I?"

"Sweetheart…" Judy breathed, looking at her. "I wish I knew how to make this okay, but honestly, I… I don't know. I promise you though, I will try… I can't let you go again," she shook her head. Quinn let out a breath… For a while, she'd felt so betrayed. Maybe now they could make up that time.

"Thanks…" she smiled. "You should probably go, before Dad…" Judy sighed, then nodded.

"I'll call when I can, alright?" She hugged her. "I love you, you remember that," she spoke into her ear.

"Always," Quinn promised.

THE END


End file.
